Concert preview: Janet Jackson at the Schott

Tuesday

Nov 21, 2017 at 5:15 PM

The unbreakable Miss Jackson is still in control

Joel Oliphint @joeloliphint

Janet Jackson's State of the World tour comes after she postponed her 2016 Unbreakable tour so she could begin “planning her family” with her then-husband. Sure enough, earlier this year, at the age of 50, Jackson gave birth to her first child — a baby boy, Eissa.

Though this current string of dates is technically a continuation of the Unbreakable tour, State of the World is a more socially conscious endeavor, with a stage design referencing white supremacy, domestic terrorism and other centuries-old issues that have resurfaced with a vengeance in the last year. In addition to club bangers and sultry slow jams (boasting a smoothness that's still unmatched in pop music), Jackson incorporated some of those socio-political concepts into 2015's Unbreakable.

But these topics are nothing new to Jackson, who's been employing her signature soprano to address societal ills since 1989 landmark album Rhythm Nation 1814. “I had this great epiphany/And rhythm nation was the dream/I guess next time I'll know better,” Jackson sings on Unbreakable track “Shoulda Known Better,” sounding more seasoned than resigned. On “Black Eagle,” she sums up her current philosophy succinctly: “We all need to do better.” (Don't miss it)